Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Last weekend The Mister and I had two other couples over for a Cinco de Mayo dinner party.

I really wanted to make something traditional for dessert, but I'm not a flan fan, and sopapillas are only good when they are served from fryer to plate-- didn't want to have to cook while everyone was enjoying after dinner conversation.

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp, but could have used more!)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and spray paper with cooking spray.

Melt the 2 sticks of butter (but do not boil.) Let cool. Mix sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter. Until light yellow and creamy.

Add the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, chili powder, salt and baking powder and mix until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack, then use the parchment paper to lift out the brownies before slicing.

Salted Caramel

At some point I had read that if you simmer a can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water for several hours, it would turn to caramel. I tried it, and it is delish.

Take paper off of the can, submerge it in a pot of water; bring the water to a simmer (do not boil); refill the water when low (be sure to keep can completely submerged at all times). Simmer for three (ish) hours. Let can cool, then open, and spread on brownies.

2
comments:

Arequipe is what the Colombians (and probably other South Americans) the reduced condensed milk, and my Colombian husband eats it right off the spoon. I've made arequipe from scratch - an all day affair & won't do that again soon, and I've heard that one can put the milk can to cook in a crock pot as well.